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Файл:The Oak Openings; or, the Bee-Hunter
.pdf
THE OAK OPENINGS; OR, THE BEE-HUNTER
the history of your forefathers, and to take into consideration,
once more, the great question of your being Hebrews.”
“I will speak as my brother wishes – let him do as I wish. Let
him tell me that I can say to the chiefs before the sun has fallen
the length of my arm, that the young pale-face bee-hunter has
taken the young pale-face squaw into his wigwam.”
“I do not understand your motive, Peter; but that which you
ask is wise, and according to God’s laws, and it shall be done.
Fare you well, then, for a season. When we again meet, Bourdon
and Margery shall be one, if my persuasions can prevail, and you
will have pressed this matter of the lost tribes, again, home to
your people. Fare you well, Peter; fare you well.”
They separated; the Indian with a cold smile of courtesy, but
with his ruthless intentions as respected the missionary in no
degree changed. Boden and Margery alone were exempt from
vengeance, according to his present designs. An unaccountable gentleness of feeling governed him, as connected with the
girl; while superstition, and the dread of an unknown power,
had its full influence on his determination to spare her lover.
There might be some faint ray of human feeling glimmering
among the fierce fires that so steadily burned in the breast of
this savage; but they were so much eclipsed by the brighter light
that gleamed around them, as to be barely perceptible, even to
himself. The result of all these passions was, a determination
in Peter to spare those whom he had advised the missionary to
unite – making that union a mysterious argument in favor of
Margery – and to sacrifice all the rest. The red American is so
much accustomed to this species of ruthless proceeding, that
the anguish he might occasion the very beings to whom he
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
now wished to be merciful, gave the stern chief very little concern. Leaving the Indians in the exclusive possession of Prairie
Round, we will return to the rest of the party.
The missionary hastened after his friends as fast as he could
go. Boden and Margery had much to say to each other in that
walk, which had a great deal about it to bring their thoughts
within the circle of their own existence. As has been said, the
fire had run through that region late, and the grasses were still
young, offering but little impediment to their movements. As
the day was now near its heat, le Bourdon led his spirited, but
gentle companion, through the groves, where they had the benefit of a most delicious shade, a relief that was now getting to
be very grateful. Twice had they stopped to drink at cool, clear
springs, in which the water seemed to vie with the air in transparency. As this is not the general character of the water of that
region, though marked exceptions exist, Margery insisted that
the water was eastern and not western water.
“Why do we always think the things we had in childhood
better than those we enjoy afterward?” asked Margery, after
making one of these comparisons, somewhat to the disadvantage of the part of the country in which she then was. “I can
scarce ever think of home – what I call home, and which was
so long a home to me – without shedding tears. Nothing here
seems as good of its kind as what I have left behind me. Do you
have the same longings for Pennsylvania that I feel for the seacoast and for the rocks about Quincy?”
“Sometimes. When I have been quite alone for two or three
months, I have fancied that an apple, or a potato, or even a glass
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THE OAK OPENINGS; OR, THE BEE-HUNTER
of cider that came from the spot where I was born, would be
sweeter than all the honey bees ever gathered in Michigan.”
“To me it has always seemed strange, Bourdon, that one of
your kind feelings should ever wish to live alone, at all; yet I
have heard you say that a love of solitude first drew you to your
trade.”
“It is these strong cases which get a man under, as it might
be, and almost alter his nature. One man will pass his days in
hunting deer; another in catching fish; my taste has been for
the bees, and for such chances with other creatures as may offer.
What between hunting, and hiving, and getting the honey to
market, I have very little time to long for company. But my taste
is altering, Margery; HAS altered.”
The girl blushed, but she also smiled, and, moreover, she
looked pleased.
“I am afraid that you are not as much altered as you think,”
she answered, laughingly, however. “It may seem so now; but
when you come to LIVE in the settlements again, you will get
tired of crowds.”
“Then I will come with you, Margery, into these Openings,
and we can live TOGETHER here, surely, as well, or far better than I can live here ALONE. You and Gershom’s wife have
spoiled my housekeeping. I really did not know, until you came
up here, how much a woman can do in a chiente.
“Why, Bourdon, you have lived long enough in the settlements to know THAT!”
“That is true; but I look upon the settlements as one thing,
and on the Openings as another. What will do there isn’t needed here; and what will do here won’t answer there. But these
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
last few days have so changed Castle Meal, that I hardly know
it myself.”
“Perhaps the change is for the worse, and you wish it undone, Bourdon,” observed the girl, in the longing she had to
hear an assurance to the contrary, at the very moment she felt
certain that assurance would be given.
“No, no, Margery. Woman has taken possession of my cabin,
and woman shall now always command there, unless you alter
your mind, and refuse to have me. I shall speak to the missionary to marry us, as soon as I can get him alone. His mind is running so much on the Jews, that he has hardly a moment left for
us Christians.”
The color on Margery’s cheek was not lessened by this declaration; though, to admit the truth, she looked none the less
pleased. She was a warm-hearted and generous girl, and sometimes hesitated about separating herself and her fortunes from
those of Gershom and Dorothy; but the bee-hunter had persuaded her this would be unnecessary, though she did accept
him for a husband. The point had been settled between them on
previous occasions, and much conversation had already passed,
in that very walk, which was confined to that interesting subject. But Margery was not now disposed to say more, and she
adroitly improved the hint thrown out by Boden, to change the
discourse.
“It is the strangest notion I ever heard of,” she cried, laughing, “to believe Injins to be Jews!”
“He tells me he is by no means the first who has fancied it.
Many writers have said as much before him, and all he claims is,
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THE OAK OPENINGS; OR, THE BEE-HUNTER
to have been among them, and to have seen these Hebrews with
his own eyes. But here he comes, and can answer for himself.”
Just as this was said, Parson Amen joined the party, Corporal
Flint closing to the front, as delicacy no longer required him to
act as a rear-guard. The good missionary came up a little heated;
and, in order that he might have time to cool himself, the rate of
movement was slightly reduced. In the mean time the conversation did not the less proceed.
“We were talking of the lost tribes,” said Margery, half smiling as she spoke, “and of your idea, Mr. Amen, that these Injins
are Jews. It seems strange to me that they should have lost so
much of their ancient ways, and notions, and appearances, if
they are really the people you think.”
“Lost! It is rather wonderful that, after the lapse of two thousand years and more, so much should remain. Whichever way I
look, signs of these people’s origin beset me. You have read your
Bible, Margery – which I am sorry to say all on this frontier
have not – but you have read your Bible, and one can make
an allusion to you with some satisfaction. Now, let me ask you
if you remember such a thing as the scape-goat of the ancient
Jews. It is to be found in Leviticus, and is one of those mysterious
customs with which that extraordinary book is full.”
“Leviticus is a book I never read but once, for we do not read
it in our New England schools. But I do remember that the Jews
were commanded to let one of two goats go, from which practice
it has, I believe, been called a scape-goat.”
“Well,” said le Bourdon, simply, “what a thing is ‘l’arnin’!’
Now, this is all news to me, though I have heard of ‘scapegoats,’ and TALKED of ‘scape-goats’ a thousand times! There’s a
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
meanin’ to everything, I find; and I do not look upon this idea
of the lost tribes as half as strange as I did before I l’arnt this!”
Margery had not fallen in love with the bee-hunter for his
biblical knowledge, else might her greater information have received a rude shock by this mark of simplicity; but instead of
dwelling on this proof of le Bourdon’s want of “schooling,” her
active mind was more disposed to push the allusion to scapegoats to some useful conclusion.
“And what of the goat, Mr. Amen?” she asked; “and how can
it belong to anything here?”
“Why were all those goats turned into the woods and deserts, in the olden time, Margery? Doubtless to provide food for
the ten tribes, when these should be driven forth by conquerors
and hard task-masters. Time, and climate, and a difference of
food, has altered them, as they have changed the Jews themselves, though they still retain the cleft hoof, the horns, the habits, and the general characteristics of the goats of Arabia. Yes;
naturalists will find in the end, that the varieties of the deer of
this continent, particularly the antelope, are nothing but the
scape-goats of the ancient world, altered and perhaps improved
by circumstances.”
As this was much the highest flight the good missionary had
ever yet taken, not trifling was the astonishment of his young
friends thereat. Touching the Jews, le Bourdon did not pretend
to, or in fact did not possess much knowledge; but when the
question was reduced down to one of venison, or bears’ meat, or
bisons’ humps, with the exception of the professed hunters and
trappers, few knew more about them all than he did himself.
That the deer, or even the antelopes of America ever had been
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THE OAK OPENINGS; OR, THE BEE-HUNTER
goats, he did not believe; nor was he at all backward in letting
his dissent to such a theory be known.
“I’m sorry, Parson Amen, you’ve brought in the deer,” he
cried. “Had you stuck to the Jews, I might have believed all that
you fancy, in this business; but the deer have spoiled all. As for
scape-goats, since Margery seems to agree with you, I suppose
you are right about THEM though my notion of such creatures
has been to keep clear of them, instead of following them up,
as you seem to think these Hebrews have done. But if you are
no nearer right in your doctrine about the Injins than you are
about their game, you’ll have to change your religion.”
“Do not think that my religion depends on any thread so
slight, Bourdon. A man may be mistaken in interpreting prophecy, and still be a devout Christian. There are more reasons than
you may at first suppose, for believing in this theory of the gradual change of the goat into the deer, and especially into the antelope. We do not any of us believe that Noah had with him, in
the ark, all the animals that are now to be found, but merely the
parent-stems, in each particular case, which would be reducing
the number many fold. If all men came from Adam, Bourdon,
why could not all deer come from goats?”
“Why this matter about men has a good deal puzzled me,
Parson, and I hardly know what answer to give. Still, men are
men, wherever you find them. They may be lighter or darker,
taller or shorter, with hair or wool, and yet you can see they
are MEN. Perhaps food, and climate, and manner of living, may
have made all the changes we see in them; but Lord, Parson, a
goat has a beard!”
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
“What has become of the thousands of scape-goats that the
ancient Hebrews must have turned loose in the wilderness? Answer me that, Bourdon?”
“You might as well ask me, sir, what has become of the thousands of Hebrews who turned them loose. I suppose all must be
dead a thousand years ago. Scape-goats are creatures that even
Injins would not like.”
“All this is a great mystery, Bourdon – a much greater mystery than our friend Peter, whom you have so often said was a
man so unaccountable. By the way, he has given me a charge to
perform an office between you and Margery, that I had almost
forgotten. From what he said to me, I rather think it may have
some connection with our safety. We have enemies among these
savages, I feel very certain; though I believe we have also warm
friends.”
“But what have you in charge that has anything to do with
Bourdon and me?” asked the wondering Margery, who was
quick to observe the connection, though utterly at a loss to comprehend it.
The missionary now called a halt, and finding convenient
seats, he gradually opened the subject with which he had been
charged by Peter to his companions. The reader is probably prepared to learn that there was no longer any reserve between le
Bourdon and Margery on the subject of their future marriage.
The young man had already pressed an immediate union, as
the wisest and safest course to be pursued. Although the savage American is little addicted to abusing his power over female
captives, and seldom takes into his lodge an unwilling squaw,
the bee-hunter had experienced a good deal of uneasiness on
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THE OAK OPENINGS; OR, THE BEE-HUNTER
the score of what might befall his betrothed. Margery was sufficiently beautiful to attract attention, even in a town; and more
than one fierce-looking warrior had betrayed his admiration
that very day, though it was in a very Indian-like fashion. Rhapsody, and gallant speeches, and sonnets, form no part of Indian
courtship; but the language of admiration is so very universal,
through the eyes, that it is sufficiently easy of comprehension. It
was possible that some chief, whose band was too formidable to
be opposed, might take it into his head to wish to see a pale-face
squaw in his wigwam; and, while it was not usual to do much
violence to a female’s inclinations on such occasions, it was not
common to offer much opposition to those of a powerful warrior. The married tie, if it could be said to exist at all, however,
was much respected; and it was far less likely that Margery, a
wife, would thus be appropriated, than Margery, unmarried. It
is true, cases of unscrupulous exercise of power are to be found
among Indians, as well as among civilized men, but they are
rare, and usually are much condemned.
The bee-hunter, consequently, was well disposed to second
Peter’s project. As for Margery herself, she had half yielded all
her objections to her lover’s unaided arguments, and was partly
conquered before this reinforcement was brought into the field
against her. Peter’s motive was much canvassed, no one of them
all being able to penetrate it. Boden, however, had his private
opinion on the subject, nor was it so very much out of the way.
He fancied that the mysterious chief was well disposed to Margery, and wished to put her as far as possible beyond the chances
of an Indian wigwam; marriage being the step of all others most
likely to afford her this protection. Now this was not exactly
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
true, but it was right enough in the main. Peter’s aim was to save
the life of the girl; her gentle attractions, and kind attentions to
himself having wrought this much in her favor; and he believed
no means of doing so as certain as forming a close connection
for her with the great medicine-bee-hunter. Judging of them by
himself, he did not think the Indians would dare to include so
great a conjurer in their schemes of vengeance, and was willing
himself that le Bourdon should escape, provided Margery could
go free and unharmed with him. As for the bee-hunter’s powers,
he had many misgivings; they might be dangerous to the red
men, and they might not. On this subject, he was in the painful
doubts of ignorance, and had the wide area of conjecture open
before his mind. He saw; but it was “as in a glass, darkly.”
Margery was disposed to delay the ceremony, at least until
her brother and sister might be present. But to this le Bourdon
himself was not much inclined. It had struck him that Gershom
was opposed to an early marriage, most probably because he
fancied himself more secure of the bee-hunter’s ingenious and
important aid in getting back to the settlements, so long as this
strong inducement existed to cling to himself, than if he should
release his own hold of Margery, by giving her at once to her
lover. Right or wrong, such was the impression taken up by le
Bourdon, and he was glad when the missionary urged his request to be permitted to pronounce the nuptial benediction on
the spot.
Little ceremony is generally used in an American marriage.
In a vast many cases no clergyman is employed at all; and where
there is, most of the sects have no ring, no giving away, nor any
of those observances which were practised in the churches of
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